Get vaccinated

There is no doubt that the government is trying to vaccinate a large number of people. However, there are so many issues that the authorities have to deal with to ensure that the vaccination process is carried out smoothly. The lack of public awareness is the main reason for vaccine hesitancy. In an attempt to control the alarming situation, the Sindh government has announced strict measures to get people get vaccinated in a timely manner. These measures have worked and now one can see long queues of people at various vaccination centres.

However, these measures may not have long-term benefits. The provincial government has imposed a lockdown in Karachi until August 8. One believes that it is not a proper solution for countries like us. The level of joblessness and poverty is increasing, and such measures may create more problems for people. The only way to defeat the virus is through vaccination. Public awareness campaigns should be started to convince people to get vaccine doses. A door-to-door vaccination campaign should be launched to vaccinate people.

Gull Khan Bhutto

Ubauro

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That the number of Covid-19 cases are increasing across the country is concerning. The current positivity rate is above eight percent. The situation calls for stringent measures to control the spread of the Delta variant. There is no doubt that we are going through the most crucial time. It is true that such unprecedented times call for unprecedented measures. Last time, when the lockdown was lifted, the positivity rate was less than four percent. It further reduced to less than three percent when the authorities continued to impose restrictions in certain sectors. However, as soon as the restrictions were eased and soon after Eid holidays, the positivity rate saw a huge spike. What is a bit shocking is the fact that the authorities, who were quick to close education institutions, have not announced to close schools and colleges yet. The Punjab government has allowed all schools to conduct on-campus classes, putting the life of students and teachers at great risk. The other thing that the authorities need to look into is vaccine hesitancy. It is getting difficult to convince people to get vaccinated especially when they are exposed to all kinds of rumours and myths on social media. Under the present critical circumstances, it is the prime responsibility of the federal and provincial governments to initiate awareness campaigns to inform people about the benefits of vaccination.

Strict measures like blocking SIM cards and withholding salaries are not a good approach as such irrational measures may create unrest and anxiety among people and give rise to corrupt practices.

Sajjad Khattak

Attock